Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken strong note of exorbitant hike in airfares by airlines operating on Kashmir sector, terming it a violation of right to equality and human rights.
Acting on a complaint regarding hike in airfares, a division bench of SHRC comprising its acting chairperson Rafiq Fida and member Amalok Singh termed it as a move “to scuttle the flow of tourists to the Valley.” Besides, the bench observed it (the fare hike) would hit the local patients and students going for treatment/studies outside the state.
The commission sought reports from Director Civil Aviation and all airlines into the matter.
“The contents of the complaint reveal that tourism in the Kashmir valley has got adversely affected by the unbridled hike. The middle class and lower middle class families are the main source of tourism (to Kashmir) but the sudden hike in airfare has considerably narrowed the flow of tourists to Kashmir valley in March,” the bench observed in its order on the complaint filed by general secretary Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum, MM Shuja.
“The patients, student community and lower business class have been hit by the airfare hike which has rendered the air travel facility impossible for them. During rainy seasons the road connectivity to Kashmir remains cut off with the rest of the country and air travel is the only means of transport available to the people of Kashmir. The airlines are taking undue advantage of the situation and unilaterally hike fares, which in general violates the rights of human beings in Kashmir,” he observed.
17/04/14 Arif Wani/Greater Kashmir
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Acting on a complaint regarding hike in airfares, a division bench of SHRC comprising its acting chairperson Rafiq Fida and member Amalok Singh termed it as a move “to scuttle the flow of tourists to the Valley.” Besides, the bench observed it (the fare hike) would hit the local patients and students going for treatment/studies outside the state.
The commission sought reports from Director Civil Aviation and all airlines into the matter.
“The contents of the complaint reveal that tourism in the Kashmir valley has got adversely affected by the unbridled hike. The middle class and lower middle class families are the main source of tourism (to Kashmir) but the sudden hike in airfare has considerably narrowed the flow of tourists to Kashmir valley in March,” the bench observed in its order on the complaint filed by general secretary Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum, MM Shuja.
“The patients, student community and lower business class have been hit by the airfare hike which has rendered the air travel facility impossible for them. During rainy seasons the road connectivity to Kashmir remains cut off with the rest of the country and air travel is the only means of transport available to the people of Kashmir. The airlines are taking undue advantage of the situation and unilaterally hike fares, which in general violates the rights of human beings in Kashmir,” he observed.
17/04/14 Arif Wani/Greater Kashmir
